Rail-joint fastening.



A. F. SWEIGART.

RAIL JOINT FASTENING.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1907.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

INVENTOR.

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ally, and at the same time prevent AMOS nswmeaiar, OF SOUTH HAMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ICE.

RAIL-JOINT FASTEFG.

I v Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 10, 1907. Serial No. 392,173.

Patented. Oct. e, 1908.

To all whom it may concern: M

Be it known that I, AMos F. SWEIGART, States, residingat in the county of Bucks and have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joint Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railway joint fast'enings, .or chairs, as used at the connecting point of adjoining'rails.

The objects of my invention are, to provide novel means of connection adapted to hold the abutting rails in alinement, latersagging of the ends under a load.

A further object is to hold the railsagainst any creeplng efi'ect, relative to the cross.

ties, and finally, to so arrange the fastening means that it may be applied withoutmaking holes in the railsfat any point along the trackway, as between, or on, the ties and which can be used to advantage in or repairing, broken rails.

With-these objects in view,

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my invention consistsof certaln novel constructional combinations fully described hereinafter and shown in the several accompanying drawings, which forn 'part of this specification,

and in which like characters are used in designating like parts.

Figure 1, is a transverse sectional view through a rail, showing the application of my invention. Fig. 2, is aside elevation of a rail joint. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a rail end, Fig. 4, is a partial plan view, of a fastening member, broken away to show the tongue therein. Fig. 5, is 'a side elevation of the outer fastening member, drawn to a reduced scale, and looking from the interior, and Fig. 6, is a similar View of the inner fastenlng member. I

As indicated in-the drawings, the inventlon consists of an outer 1 0.lled, or cast metal,

member 3', fitted closely to the rail, particularly between the head and flange, thus mate rially supporting the same, having a portion 3", level with the upper surface of the head, adapted to receive the wheel tread in its passage over the joint, thereby-preventing wheel-hammering of the rail edges; integral with the upper, or fish plate, portion, is the lower or chair, portion l,'extending 1aterally below the rail flange almost to its. center.

and intended to take the weight of a passing showing the notched edges used.

load. On the opposite, or inner, side of the rail is asimilarmember 5, likewise closely fitted and having the chair portion 6, undens lying the other side ofthe rail flange. Throughout both of these members pass bolts 7, preferably four in number, and adapted to draw the two tightly together,- tained in the fastenlngs rigidly in alinement. Within the said membersS and 5, I form. projecting tenons or tongues, 3' and 5, intersecting with and fillin the notched recesses formed in the edges 0 the abutting rail flanges, and in such manner that lateral movement of the rail fastenings is prevented, except it be accompanied by a corresponding movement of therails; the reverse of this is obviously true, and if the fastenings be securely anchored or maintained, as indicated particularly in Fig. 2, in which the chair portions 4., and 6, are fitted between two ties,-lateral movement of the joint is overcome.

I may also make use of the-auxiliary plate member 8, as shown in Fi 1, in stifiening the construction, in which case'I applyit to the inner member 5, by means of the bolts,

or screws, 9, as an additional strengthening element. Furthermore in some cases, I prefer to make use of .theconstruction indicated vin Figs. 5 and 6, in which the chair portions 4 and 6, maybe positioned between and against the inner sides of two adjacent ties, and the fish plateportions 3 and 5, rest on the ties, or I may cut away the top surface of the .tie',,or ties, as may be necessary in applying the fastenings. I may also.

make minor modifications from the construction, as shown, without departing from the spirit of my invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limi indicated.

members 4 and 6,. clamping the rail endsconed to the exact construction Having thus described iny 'invention'what I claim as new and ters Patent is: V

In a rail joint, the combination with the meeting ends of adjacent rails having notched edges registerlng with each other, of an inner and outer fish plate portion fitdesire to secure by Letting closely against the rails between the heads and flanges, the, outer fish plate pori tion having an upwardlyextending portion ,fitting closely against the head and level g vith the uppersurface of the same, integral chair portions extending laterally below the rails provided with-transverse boresin'alinement, tongues formed on blid chair portions name to (his spevifiuntion in the presence of extending in the notched portions of the two subscribing witn rails, bolts extending through said bores for I securing said members together, and a rein-- forcing member secured on the'inner fish Witnesses? plate member, for the purpose described. WARREN E. ums In testimony whereof I have signed my Sins. E. Po'r'rs'.

AMOS F. SNEIGAIUF. 

